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The Sky’s the Limit in the Carolinas

Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville, South Carolina, has experienced tremendous economic growth over the past decade, with a barrage of new hotel properties, attractions and award-winning restaurants opening every year.

Groups will find numerous ways to explore this cultural hub, from Segway tours to architecture tours and culinary tours. Beyond the city, travelers can drive a short distance north to hike Paris Mountain or lounge by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Jocassee.

“Part of Greenville’s charm is that you can have both the city feel and the country feel,” said Taryn Scher, spokesperson for Visit Greenville, SC. “You could spend the day on a pontoon on Lake Jocassee and then come back and have a world-class dinner at Husk and catch a Broadway performance at the Peace Center.”

Greenville also boasts a thriving food scene that features over 100 restaurants on Main Street alone and nearly 600 countywide.

More active groups can take advantage of the 20.6-mile Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail, which starts in downtown Greenville and extends to the outlying town of Travelers Rest. Many cafes, coffee shops and other businesses have sprung up along the trail, enabling cyclists and walkers to hop off at their leisure and grab a bite to eat.

“The cycling amenities here are great,” said Scher. “We have a number of places where you can rent bikes by the hour or day.”

www.visitgreenvillesc.com

 

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville, North Carolina, one of the most well-known destinations along the Blue Ridge Parkway, is characterized by a vibrant arts community and a burgeoning craft brewery scene. There are now 41 craft breweries in the Asheville area, 30 within city limits.

In addition to providing a convenient home base for exploring the region, Asheville hosts a number of outdoor attractions right in town. The French Broad River runs through the heart of the city, providing a scenic place for kayaking, canoeing or stand-up paddleboarding. At Adventure Center of Asheville, guests can zip line through a canopy of trees and scale an aerial ropes course within view of the downtown skyline.

For a more hands-on experience in nature, groups can sign up for a wild food foraging tour with No Taste Like Home, an Asheville-based ecotour company. During the excursion, a guide takes guests “off the eaten path” to identify edible plants such as berries, mushrooms, flowers, nuts and roots, highlighting species that participants can often find in their own backyards.

No trip to Asheville would be complete without a visit to the Biltmore Estate, an 8,000-acre property with a 250-room Châteauesque-style mansion. It is the largest privately owned house in America. From May 17 through October 7, the Biltmore will be featuring a special art exhibit from celebrated glassworks artisan Dale Chihuly. The exhibit will include exclusive after-dark viewings, with the glass sculptures set against the dramatic lighting of the sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

www.exploreasheville.com